For some reason, Star political columnist puts in yeoman efforts to destroy aspiring political leaders in this town while playing pussy foot with the corrupt crowd that's responsible for the mess we find ourselves in here in Indianapolis. Remember how he took after GOP congressional candidate Eric Dickerson, while giving the ineffective and chronically-absent Rep. Julia Carson (D) a free pass until after the election? Well, today he declares the candidacy of Greg Ballard a joke because he won't release a list of his campaign contributors before the state's campaign finance law requires him to release that information in October. And he picks up on the lame spinning being done by local Democrats that Ballard has somehow been missing in action for the past two weeks. Give me a break.
There is one particular item I'm particularly bothered that Tully included in his column today. "Truth is, Ballard doesn't want to talk about fundraising because he's having a hard time raising money," Tully writes. Truth is, Matt Tully doesn't know whether he's raising a lot of money and that's why he's all worked up. He's been badgering Ballard and GOP officials for this information for weeks, and they won't turn it over to him. So as a punishment, he declares Ballard's campaign a joke. Nice reporting, Matt.
Meanwhile, Tully isn't asking any questions about why Mayor Peterson's administration stop posting the statement of economic interest for public officials online a few years back. He's not asking tough questions about the games Mayor Peterson's administration is playing with city budget figures. He's not asking questions about what's happening at the Indianapolis Airport Authority. He's not asking questions about obvious ties between contributions to the mayor's re-election and the awarding of city business. And the list goes on. Matt might want to stick to writing about smoking bans. I think he does a better job with those columns.
34 comments:
Tully called Ballard's campaign a joke because it is.
And your steadfast devotion to the lastest Republican shill is also.
Notice how Tully timed the column to coincide with all the big-wig GOP coming into town today for the Midwest GOP conference. Not a coincidence. The guy is a total tool.
Just another reason why I don't buy the Star anymore.
The good news for Greg Ballard is that fewer and fewer people read that rag everyday.
Gary, are you going to call out Norman Cox, too? He echoed Tully's concerns in his blog:
http://www.rtv6blogs.com/capitol/?p=135
But to make matters worse, Ballard then gets into a fight with Indianapolis Star columnist Matt Tully over his refusal to reveal how much money his campaign has raised. Ballard says it’s because he doesn’t have to do so until the October reporting deadline.
But, hey, isn’t this a news conference that HE called to urge tougher ethics standards?
So shouldn’t he be willing to do something more than the absolute MINIMUM?
Or could this have something to do with the probability that Ballard has raised so little money that revealing the amount might dry up contributions from other donors wondering about the viability of his effort to unseat Mayor Peterson?
Don't let your disdain for the current administration color your typically logical analysis.
I was stuned to open this post and not find you-know-who trying to whine about the incumbent Congresswoman's effectiveness.
Which would've been oxymoronic. Heavy emphasis on the last three sylables.
Tully is a lazy-ass columnist who writes most of his columns fifteen minutes before deadline with little or no research. Off-the-cuff ramblings.
Even when the Star's columns were rabid Birchers, they were well-written, researched and provoked intellegent discussion.
For what it's worth, their subscriber rate actually rose last year a little. There'll always be decent subscriber numbers for a capital-city daily newspaper.
I think a well-run, middle-of-the-road weekly would kick ass and take names. Kind of a Nuvo on acid, news-wise.
I was told by Matt Tulley during the last election cycle that he did not have to report the fact because he was a columnist and not a reporter. After that comment from him, I quit paying attention to anything he had to say. And based on the readership at the rag I would say most people agree with me.
Matt Tully is a joke as a so called "journalist". You who still think Peterson is "God's Gift" to the city of Indianapolis really need to wake up. This is the most corrupt administration we've ever had in our city. Keep pullin that "D" lever and one day you'll wake up to find that those video games, dogs and cigarettes you used to enjoy are illegal. You'll also find that the house you thought you owned now belongs to the city!
Consolidation was a farce folks, and they knew it before it happened. Not only was it not going to lower taxes, it was documented to RAISE THEM.
I just posted the original documents.
http://indycorrupt.blogspot.com/
Maybe that will help Ballard out a little bit?
Well, I'm afraid you are going to have to wait for Mr. Ballard's campaign finance report until after the election Mr. Tully. just as you will have to wait for Mayor Peterson's.
You see, Mr.Ballard does not need $3 million to run a campaign. In the closing 4 weeks Mr.Ballard will have more than sufficient funds for media advertising.
The problem Mr. Tully is that you just don't know HOW MUCH.
My recommendation is that instead of Tully writing a jab piece like this he should have just had Mike O'Conner just call Ballard and ask for the info directly.
Nice try Matt!
Ballard will be lucky if he cracks Dickerson's paltry $70,912.18 in contributions.
anon 754.ask and you shall recieve.. He showed up to and said nothing.
When trying to report, one can't use facts. Facts just get in the way of the story..
Wilson, is the city putting in a bigger sewer by you house, because of all the crap you've been spewing???
Sorry AI but Matt Tully is right - Ballard is not campaigning. I don't know who is advising Ballard but the first lesson he needs to learn is that no one is going to vote for a candidate who fails to let voters know he is running for office!
"Ballard will be lucky if he cracks Dickerson's paltry $70,912.18 in contributions."
Dickerson's paltry sum got him within 8000 votes.
How much did the Old Girl and the Democrats spend?
A little fundraising and Ballard's a player.
It is sad to see once again for the 3rd election in a row the Republicans with the big $'s sitting on their checkbooks and not supporting the Republican candidate running against an incumbent. If they were able to donate millions to the Brizzi campaign why is it not there for this campaign ?
Pike Voter
Can someone tell me if that IndyCorrupt site is for real?
There is a summary of an economic study of the merger (dated Nov 8 2005) which says the merger would cost the taxpayers 97%!
If this thing is true, it looks like our Mayor did know the merger would not work. What is going on here? Can someone look into this and render an opinion about this?
Were we really lied to?
"A little fundraising and Ballard's a player."
But, since he has neither fundraising nor, apparently any political acumen, he's just a punk.
10:24, that study is not genuine...it's poorly administered. Kinda like the "study" the former punk lawrence Assessor put together, using an "independent accounting firm" previously under contract to him. That study showed township government was a bargain.
The merger did and does make sense. It will save money. The amount it will save is open to wide interpretation and speculation, for multiple reasons.
No, I don't think Bart is God's gift. I think he's a good mayor. Not great, but good. Better than Goldy ever was.
We'll get through this budgetary cycle OK, and it'll be rough for a few years. It was bound to be.
You can't ignore billion-dollar problems like CSO, the crowded jail and underfunded pensions, for decades, and expect to clear it up overnight.
CSO: under control. Federal EPA has lifted Marion Co. from potential fines, for now, IF we keep spending.
Jail: A conservative Republican federal judge removed the overcrowding order 60 days ago, after, on, 20 years or so.
Pension: Solution underway. For now.
IndyU needs you...
Pike Voter,
They are not there for Ballard because they are already there for Peterson. Always have been since day one. Look at Peterson's old donors list. It speaks volumes.
The same GOP money that went to Peterson went to Brizzi as well. Brizzi still had juice.
Lets just say that there has been a huge change in demographics over the last 20 years in Marion County and the GOP business community still has assets to protect and money to make before the last white family leaves Marion County.
Same shit happened in Detroit.
Been to Hamilton County lately? Detroit has exurbs like Carmel too.
End of story.
Gary,
I just read Tully's article on Ballard. I wanted to respond but TULLY HAS TURNED OFF THE COMMENTS SECTION UNDER HIS ARTICLE.
SOMETHING REALLY DOES SMELL!!!!!!!
Tully hasn't blogged all summer because he's on "summer vacation" and he has a beef over whether Ballard is campaigning enough. When is the last time Tully broke a sweat working for the Star?
Anonymous 10:39...I looked up the firm that did the study and found them on the site for "INDIANA ASSOCIATED CITIES & TOWNS".
Their listing says:
Reedy & Peters, LLC
PO Box 542
Greenwood, IN 46142
Phone: (317) 535-9244
Fax: (317) 535-4912
Tania Bigelow, taniabigelow@aol.com
Denise Reedy, sdreedy@comcast.net
We provide professional services in the area of local government and budgeting, revenue verification, excess property tax levy appeals, financial planning, debt financing, utility rates, TIF, annexation, tax abatements and other related activities.
Looks like they are the local experts on this stuff. Can you tell me what is not genuine about it. We should be talking to this firm at the very least to find out what they know.
It warns that implementation would deplete $30 million of cash balances in 18 months...which is the approximate time line that the assessments were mailed.
This doesn't look bogus the more I look into this firm. It looks like it is probably a legit study.
Check out this link from Senator Young:
http://www.in.gov/S35/11-16-05.htm
It is a November 16th Press Release (just one week after the Reedy & Peterson analysis)
It says:
Young also reviewed the 40-page report issued by Reedy & Peters.
The report can be accessed at http://www.in.gov/legislative/interim/committee/prelim/MCCC01.pdf
“The mayor challenged us to find where his numbers were wrong,” Young said. “And we have.”
(The link to the entire 40 page report issued by the CPA's is not active.)
Melyssa, it is real, and, if I am not mistaken, the city paid to have it done. I can't verifiy that yet, but, why else would they do it, or for who?
So, yes, we have been lied to. The people over at IC are true patriots trying to stand up to the machine, they deserve our support.
Melyssa,
I too wandered if the IndyCorrupt sight was for real and after reading all the factual things they bring out, the answer is YES!1039, who'saplant from the 25th floor wants you to believe that CONsolidation is good and will save money in the long run. Well that aint exactly so. You see during the alleged study by the mayor's cronies (CCC), Leos asked the three cities( only 2 were visited) if they saved any money CONsolidating. The answer was, " We didnt do it to save money ". The truth is CONsolidating services generally may look like a good idea, but it doesn't and isn't working now. You as a citizen lost police services and receive less service because of the merge. The point being those on the 25th floor don't want you to read blogs like this 1, IndyU or IndyCorrupt because they are the only places where citizens can get information from those who know. They want you only to get your info from what Tully and the Star feeds you via Mayor Peterson's office. If you think I'm crazy look at all the corruption that is and has gone on in this Dem controlled CCC and Mayors administration. How much of it was reported on these blogs long before it made it to the pages of the Star? Answer, almost every bit in the last year or more.
Yes, it appears to be the real study. I checked out the links and found that the study is confirmed in city meeting notes and by Senator Young.
So the question seems to be, where did the city get its numbers to feel justified that the merger would save us money? It does not appear that the CPA firm associated with the Indiana Cities & Towns recommended the merger would save money.
Anon 1039, You said "you cant ignore billion dollar problems and expect it to clear up overnight". Does that mean you can ignore the $50,000 pay raise/bribe that Sheriff Anderson was given at the expense of taxpayers for his approval on CONsolidation? Inquiring taxpayers have a right to know!
10:31, 10:39, 11:01 AM --- well well hello there Steve Campbell. We wondered who from the Mayor's office would come off their knees and to his rescue....
If 1039 has something to point out about the validity of the document we posted this afternoon, let him come forward.
IC realizes that we new to the scene, we're just like all of you. Pissed off, and wound up getting our hands on some of the dirt. Keep an eye on us, we will be posting a lot more as we can.
Spelling and grammar be damned, LOL.
Reedy and Peters is anything but unbibased. They are tools of (formerly) Republican-dominated township government.
You know, the same firm that told u sin a study that township government is more efficient. Sen Young was warned not to use them...his goal before the study was done, was to show that township government is lean and efficient.
Everyone who believes that, step to the front of the line.
Their "study" for the good senator was, basically, garbage in, garbage out. They were the CPA firm recommended by former Lawrence Assessor Paul Rickets, and I think his office used them.
Do you need any more evidence that they're biased?
Their cash balance equation is not correct, and their assumptions are flawed.
Rememeber how the old Geometry books, used to have the therom answers in the back of the book? You just had to work your answers backwards.
Next?
"he's just a punk."
A real man would say it to him face to face.
Are you afraid of the Marine in Ballard?
Say it ain't so,"punk".
Matt Tully is on the payroll.
5:23
Teh fukk report included numerous other parties, Wilson. But keep spinning..
...so this is why I had a 'free' IndyStar at my doorstep today...
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